초록 ▼

A short take off and landing (STOL) aircraft is optimized for STOL performance and flight at minimum airspeed. The aircraft includes leading edge wing slats that are extended and retracted under the direct manual control of the pilot. The aircraft further includes an aileron/flap mixing mechanism th

A short take off and landing (STOL) aircraft is optimized for STOL performance and flight at minimum airspeed. The aircraft includes leading edge wing slats that are extended and retracted under the direct manual control of the pilot. The aircraft further includes an aileron/flap mixing mechanism that automatically droops the ailerons when the flaps are lowered. A flap bellcrank, which pivots to lower the flaps, carries a pair of pulleys. Aileron control cables, that actuate an aileron bellcrank to raise and lower an aileron, are threaded around and between the two pulleys. When the flap bellcrank pivots to lower the flap, the pulleys vary the positions of the aileron control cables relative to each other to pivot the aileron bellcrank and thereby lower the aileron. The aileron control cables remain independently movable to maintain pilot control over the bank and roll of the aircraft. Preferably, the ailerons and flaps are drooped at different rates so that the aileron droop angle is approximately one-half of the flap angle. Preferably, lost most is provided so that aileron droop is minimized at small flap angles.

대표청구항 ▼

A system for drooping the ailerons of an aircraft when the flaps of the aircraft are lowered, said system comprising: a pilot actuated flap control including a flap bellcrank for lowering the flaps of the aircraft; a pilot actuated aileron control including an aileron bellcrank and a pair of aileron

A system for drooping the ailerons of an aircraft when the flaps of the aircraft are lowered, said system comprising: a pilot actuated flap control including a flap bellcrank for lowering the flaps of the aircraft; a pilot actuated aileron control including an aileron bellcrank and a pair of aileron control cables coupled thereto for varying the positions of the ailerons to control the roll and bank of the aircraft; and a mixing interface including a pair of pulley devices mounted for rotation on said flap bellcrank wherein said pair of control cables are threaded around and between said pulley devices and operative between said flap control and said aileron control to simultaneously droop the ailerons of the aircraft in response to pilot inputs to said flap control to lower the flaps while permitting said aileron control to vary the positions of the ailerons relative to each other thereby to maintain pilot control over aircraft bank and roll.